Q: Is this a good time to invest in a digital scanner? A: In short, we still do not recommend ANY of the chairside scanning systems. The reasons are still the same. The model printing technology is nowhere close to being accurate. Additional considerations include the cost of the scanners; some can cost as much […]
We want to save everyone both money and frustration on end of the year purchases. The manufacturers are out in full force with the end of the year push on scanners to send digital files to the labs. We continue to get calls almost every day for advice. First, understand digital scanning represents only a […]
Attendance was down this year, most likely due to the exceptionally bad weather many of us have experienced this winter. The smaller than normal crowd gave us the opportunity to maneuver around the exhibit halls easier and allowed more one-on-one time with experts. The technological tide-shift toward digital dentistry was more palpable this year […]
Gone are the days of sacrificing top-tier beauty and precision in order to gain the strength offered from full-contour Zirconia restorations. We’d like to introduce you to the future of highly aesthetic Zirconia bridges, The Zirkonzahn Prettau bridge. Prettau Zirconia is far more translucent than Zirconias of the past. Combine this with staining techniques applied […]
We are excited to begin the Piper/McKee Study Club and we believe this program will offer exceptional dental education. The purpose of the Piper/McKee Study Club is to increase case acceptance through increased diagnostic abilities, increased treatment planning skills and increased managerial expertise. This study club format offers a unique opportunity to learn with a […]
Our implant specialist, Ben Collins, has recently returned from the ICOI meeting that was held in Orlando, Florida with an insight on the lastest in the world of implants. Many of the leaders in implant dentistry presented including Drs. Carl Misch, Michael Pikos, Maurice Salama, and many others. Cement in the sulcus continues to be […]
Developing a Comprehensive Treatment Plan This is the second in a three part series from the Chesapeake Dental Education Center (CDEC) covering the topic of treating the worn dentition. “Treating the Worn Dentition – Part I” reviewed the etiology of tooth wear and problem of aberrant tooth position that often occurs as a result of […]
It’s no secret that occlusion has been a pivotal topic of discussion in dentistry for many years, keeping some of the most studied doctors and technicians fascinated by the dynamics of what is known and pondering the depths of what is yet to be discovered. For those who wonder what is happening to teeth during […]
We’ve partnered with Drs. Mark Piper & Jim McKee for an outstanding two day program in Chicago later this year. Their new course, “Foundational Occlusion – Current Concepts for the Specialist and the Restorative Dentist” will teach you how the function of the masticatory system is built upon a foundation that starts with the TMJ […]
With the price of gold holding steady at over $1500/oz, dentists have been turning to a variety of all-ceramic materials in an effort to find the most suitable alternative. While some feel comfortable with glass replacing metal, others can’t seem to bring themselves to the point of switching over to prescribing all-ceramics in the posterior. […]
This is the first in a three part series from the Chesapeake Dental Education Center (CDEC) covering the topic of treating the worn dentition. Part I will focus on diagnosis and etiology. Part II will cover esthetics, the first phase of treatment planning, and Part III will cover occlusal issues relative to treatment planning. Classically, […]
If you feel stuck with the mediocre results you’re getting every time you have to take photos in the operatory, I’d like to help you get back on the road and begin capturing images that are useful to you, your practice, and your lab. I’ve been working with cameras for a number of years, and while […]
When asking Dental Assistants how many of them use rubber dams in their practice, it’s shocking to see the show of hands. Studies show that only 15% of dental offices use rubber dams for adhesive procedures. Excuses come up such as; it takes too long to place, we just use cotton rolls, and retractors get […]
This year we attended several meetings in Chicago including The American Equilibration Society, American Prosthodontic Society, The American Academy of Fixed Prosthodontics, and The American Academy of Restorative Dentistry. Several themes were repeated which I have highlighted here along with a couple of exciting new products. Sleep Dentistry/ Obstructive Sleep Apnea Obstructive Sleep Apnea was […]
1. Start With Quality Impressions Many diagnostic impressions are not viewed with the same attention to detail that a final crown and bridge impression is scrutinized. If these impressions are going to be utilized to for diagnosis, treatment planning, diagnostic waxing, and eventual provisional fabrication, then it makes sense to obtain extremely accurate impressions. 2. […]
Don’t you love those “Ah-ha” moments when a concept that has avoided sinking into your understanding suddenly becomes clear to you? That was the feeling class attendees experienced as Dr. Lenny Hess brought them into that clearing of understanding through what can, at times, seem like a dark and winding forest of technical information. Dr. […]
In part one of this blog, “Using Facebook for the Dental Practice”, we discussed how a Business profile can help your practice. We went through the necessary steps it takes to set up your page as well as what to consider visually and structurally during the process. Now it’s time to get our hands dirty […]
We had the honor again last week to host another sold out course for the Dawson Academy. The “Restoring Anterior Teeth ” course was presented by senior Dawson Academy Faculty Dr. Scott Finlay, DDS, FAGD, FAACD. Dr. Finlay was assisted by Dr. Raj Upadya, DMD, and Dr. Jennifer Kalochie, DMD. The […]
Everywhere you look these days it seems a different company is asking you to “like us on Facebook”. You may be wondering how, or if, Facebook can help your practice? Facebook is about more than telling your friends about your sick cat, or your family’s upcoming trip to Disney World. In fact, Facebook is […]
The popularity of gold hue CAD/CAM implant abutments soared last year, and it is now our first choice for implant cases. The warm gold color of the abutment has a reflective property you don’t get from darker colored or silver abutments. The reflective properties create a beautiful aesthetic when combined with an all-ceramic restoration. […]
Our first workshop of the new year on Marketing and Practice Development for the Complete Dental Practice was a huge success. The sold out program featured our longtime friend and practice consultant Larry Guzzardo. In this one-day course Mr. Guzzardo shared his secrets and strategies for practice growth, determining and optimizing your practice’s operating overhead, employee time management, […]
One of the most frequently asked questions for us is about restoring premolars – when to layer and when to use full contour e.max. There are several factors to take into consideration when selecting what type of restoration to prescribe, such as occlusal space, margin design, and prep shade. One of the considerations that should […]
Diagnosis and Pre-Treatment of Worn Dentition Cases Severe wear type cases present special challenges as well as opportunities for the doctor/technician team. A critical first step is to properly diagnose the cause of the wear. From occlusal interferences, to parafunctional habits, to chemical erosion, the causes can be varied but should be an important part of the diagnostic […]
Holiday greetings to all our friends in this New Year. We want to take this opportunity to extend a special thanks to so many for your continued support in 2011. As a business, we were busy all year responding to these challenging economic times with ways to serve you better. Based on requests and feedback, […]
Marketing 101: The Art of the Referral Consider the type of patient you would like in your practice. Stop spending time putting out fires that consume valuable time and energy, with problem patients. Spend more time with your preferred patients and their friends. Birds of a feather really do flock together. Patient surveys show that […]
Bay View Dental Lab is excited to be among the first labs in the country to offer patient specific CAD/CAM abutments for Dentsply Ankylos and Friadent XIVE implant systems. Previously, only stock abutments were available as restorative options. The new system from Dentsply features easy to use software, with both titanium and zirconia options for […]
My wife, Joyce, and I had the good fortune to be invited to the open house for the new Dawson Academy offices in Florida last week. Several hundred guests including friends, faculty members, city officials, and patients were in attendance for the ribbon cutting and official dedication. The beautiful building in downtown St Petersburg, FL […]
On May 17th of 2007 my niece Addyson Kelley was born. The second beautiful daughter of my wife’s youngest brother brought great joy to the family. The happy state was soon rocked when a relatively new blood test performed at her birth revealed that she was at risk for Cystic Fibrosis. Follow up tests in […]
It was our pleasure to host The Dawson Academy for the Comprehensive Exam & Records course at our facility last week. It is the first in a series of hands-on courses designed to take the participant’s to a higher level in their careers. Having been through all the hands-on courses, I can honestly say that […]
Lars Hansson, our implant specialist, and Holly Thomas, our denture specialist, were invited to join in a terrific opportunity for a 2 & ½ day program with Dr. Jack Turbyfill, the world renowned denture specialist. The event was hosted at The Chesapeake Dental Continuing Education Center in Maryland by Drs. Joe Passaro and Woody Wooddell. Drs. […]
Last week I had the good fortune of attending the “2011 Inventrix User Group” meeting in Charlotte, NC. Inventrix is a software company, whose featured product, lab management software “Labtrac”, is used in well over 100 labs in North America. Labtrac is used to do everything from scheduling a case to formulating complex operational […]
Day one of Bay View Dental Lab’s fall application workshop, “Treatment Planning Implant Dentistry”, is in the books and by all accounts seemed to be a big hit. More than two dozen were in attendance from a dozen different states for this exceptional program. The sold out event began with a comprehensive […]
I had the great fortune to be invited as a guest to one of the most exclusive study clubs in the country last week. Hosted by Drs. Jim McKee and Mark Piper, DMD, MD, it’s a group focused on treatment planning with an emphasis on joint based occlusion; in their words, they start with the position and condition […]
With the recent spike in alloy prices up to nearly $2,000/oz, we’ve had many doctors interested in considering new options for posterior restorations. At first we were just happy to offer the new options but after a few phone conservations we realized there were many choices and we needed to be prepared to answer questions […]
The fight for the cure to breast cancer has become a part of so many lives. It has touched the lives of those close to our hearts at Bay View as well. Only a year after her diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, Nancy Hansson, wife of Bay View implant department manager Lars Hansson, […]
The diagnostic wax-up is the method or process through which practitioners can fully visualize the true restorative needs of their patients. In fact, it is probably the greatest working tool of our profession. By gathering current information from the initial exam, the integration and assimilation process begins. In some ways the process is like assembling […]
“Complete dentistry,” says Peter Dawson, DDS, “is the opposite of incomplete dentistry.” Dr. Dawson founded The Dawson Academy, one of the leading post graduate education and clinical facilities in the world. Complete dentistry considers the entire masticatory system and patient as a whole. The basic principles are that proper diagnosis and treatment planning will deliver […]
